Just because Billy Crystal played one of television’s first gay characters back in 1977 — that’s Jodie from Soap for you youngsters out there — doesn’t mean he wants to see lots of gratuitous gay sex on television.
And if that offends you … well, then he’s offended by your sensitivity.
The Huffington Post reports that while promoting his upcoming new FX series The Comedians, Crystal shared his views on the way the modern day tube depicts gay sex.
“Sometimes I think, ‘Ah that’s too much for me,'” the comedian said. “Sometimes, it’s just pushing it a little too far for my taste and I’m not going to reveal to you which ones they are.”
Naturally, Crystal’s statements were perceived as rampant homophobia — even though none of his comments were actually fear-based — so he later commented on his comments:
I don’t understand why there would be anything offensive that I said. When it gets too far either visually … now, that world exists because it does for the hetero world, it exists, and I don’t want to see that either. But when I feel it’s a cause, when I feel it’s “You’re going to like my lifestyle,” no matter what it is, I’m going to have a problem, and there were a couple of shows I went “I couldn’t watch that with somebody else.” That’s fine. If whoever writes it or produces it … totally get it. It’s all about personal taste …
Crystal went on to say “we live in a very scary time in many ways. You can’t say this, you can’t say that, you can’t offend this group, that group. […] I don’t understand why everyone is watching out for the other person. That’s offensive to me.”
Should we kick it up a notch and say we’re offended that he’s offended by our taking offense at his comments? Or should we just let it go and let the guy enjoy his First Amendment rights? We vote for the latter.
DarkZephyr
He can enjoy his first amendment rights just fine. That doesn’t mean others can’t, shouldn’t or won’t enjoy their first amendment rights and express their opinions of his words. Why push back shocked him is beyond me.
Saint Law
Jesus Christ he CHOSE to look like that. He PAID to!
Saint Law
“You’re going to like my lifestyle no matter what it is.”
If anyone would benefit from a through fisting it’s Billy. In the mouth.
Saint Law
You’d have a job tho what with his foot already being in there.
Cam
Yeah, so we’ve had to look at hetro sex scenes practically everywhere and Crystal is now talking about how GAY sex scenes are shoved in his face??? Where? It sure isn’t on TV or mainstream movies.
Unless of course he thinks two guys holding hands is to much.
Ladbrook
First, I’m willing to bet that ol’ Billy has no problem at all watching realistic straight sex scenes on HBO, Showtime, and F/X. This isn’t Billy making a too-much-sex-on-tv-think-of-the-kids kind of argument. No, this is specifically directed at gay sex scenes.
I’m guessing his reference was to ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder or possibly Scandal. Both are Shonda Rhimes shows, so maybe someone should remind him of what Shonda tweeted out to a viewer who had a similar complaint: “There are no GAY scenes. There are scenes with people in them.”
Or, as I told my aging mother a few months ago, “change the channel.”
Bromancer7
Oh look, a has-been speaks. Fuck off old man. Isn’t time for another facelift or some more hair plugs?
See there is this thing called a “remote control”. With it you have the power to change the channel and not watch something you dislike. It’s a wonderful technology. One of his people should get one for him, or at least show him how to use the one he has. And maybe even a lesson or two in keeping his mouth shut.
Xzamilio
I don’t understand why there would be anything offensive that I said. When it gets too far either visually … now, that world exists because it does for the hetero world, it exists, and I don’t want to see that either.
Except you didn’t mention that in your initial comments, now did you, Mr. Crystal? It’s funny how it’s always after the fact that they’ll say “well, I would be saying the same if it were straight sex scenes” but we know that’s not the case. I can understand not wanting to see gay scenes if you are straight, but the way he worded it hinted of homophobia and then the follow up statements just brought it on home and he is just a bonafide idiot as far as I’m concerned. Apart from How To Get Away With Murder, I’ve yet to see gratuitous gay sex on TV, and I’d love to see more. What’s good for the straight goose is good for the gay gander, as far as I’m concerned. We have sex, too, you know… gratuitous, love making, and the like
AJAnders
I want to bang my head against the wall when straight guys say “lifestyle” and “don’t shove it in my face.” Crystal is just going to have to get over it.
Also, I wasn’t alive yet to see Jodie on ‘Soap’ but I’ve been told that he had a boyfriend on season one that was rarely seen. And when he was, the two never touched each other. In season two, Jodie slept with a woman and got her pregnant. In season three, he got engaged to a different woman which delighted his homophobic father.
It’s a shame that ‘Soap’ gets all this the credit in regards to having a gay character when they copped out.
sfhally
Ya’ll need to get over yourselves.
He expressed an opinion and watching the “I’ll bet he doesn’t have a problem with blah blah blah” gets ridiculous. He had an opinion that sometimes he doesn’t want to see certain things. I get it==I feel the same way about it sometimes. Too often it feels like they threw it in as a cheap tactic to spice things up–hetero; gay or whatever.
Could also just be an effect of getting older–I know that I’ve tossed books aside because what I thought was going to be an interesting mystery turns out to be an excuse for cheesy romantic or superfluous sex scene.
Bauhaus
People called him out on his bullsh*t. They were not taking offense to what the twat said.
Xzamilio
@sfhally: What is it with people like you and “opinions”? 1. Opinions are a two way street and sometimes that street has houses on it and those cars get on that road too, meaning when you give an opinion, someone can give one back and others can give theirs because opinions are not an open-shut thing where you say what you want and it’s done. And 2. Having the RIGHT to an opinion or the RIGHT to express it does not make one immune to scrutiny or mean that opinion can or will go unchallenged.
Everyone can say what they want, but more often than not, what THEY want is to say what they want and not get any push back over it. Well, sucks to be you, because that ain’t the world we live in anymore. I’d have rather he not said anything else, because upon clarifying, he made himself look even dumber.
jason smeds
Billy Crystal partly has a point about gratuitous sexual innuendo on TV. However, he singled out homosexual activity in his initial complaint, and not sexual activity in an overall sense. It seemed to be a targeted criticism of homosexuality. As such, he needs to take responsibility for it and stop trying to beat about the bush.
If he’s opposed to homosexuality, he should say so in a clear and unequivocal way without umming and ahhing about it.
oz1967
He should stop using Meg Ryans plastic surgeon
Cam
@jason smeds:
The thing was Crystal wasn’t talking about innuendo, he was saying that it’s in your face. First I can’t imagine what he’s talking about since that is hardly the case with any gay storylines.
Secondly, there are some incredibly racy straight scenes on regular TV so for him to single out gay storylines does appear that he has a problem with it.
mikehipp
The first set of comments seemed to inarticulately say he was opposed to excessive amounts of sex on television no matter what the orientation. Fine – that’s a reasonable opinion to have.
To then clarify by talking about “lifestyles” and “agendas” is beyond the pale. It was a homophobic statement and that’s a legitimate story coming from this person. He’s perfectly within his right to say it and we’re allowed to go off on him because of it.
The real issue is a heteronormative society and our lack of ability to embrace diversity. None of this would be an issue is we – as a culture – honestly embraced the lofty rhetoric the country was born from.
Desert Boy
The real question here is, why is Billy Crystal, who is straight and an orthodox Jew, watching movies with graphic gay sex scenes?
onthemark
Memo to Billy C.: Lifestyle is a brand of condoms. Don’t use That Word anymore.
@Xzamilio: Hmm, before these comments I’d never even heard of “How To Get Away With Murder” on ABC. Sounds like it has a lot more “gratuitous” gay sex than “Looking” does!
NSB2244
This isn’t a case of people not respecting his First Amendment Rights..he has the right to say whatever he wants, however, what you say is not free of consequences..one of them being that others have a right to criticize or take offense to what you say..and as others have stated..people that take offense to what is on tv, in a magazine or whatever media source, it is their prerogative to either change the channel, not buy the magazine or whatever…but that gives you no right to restrict it for others that do want to watch it or read it.
tusgold
he is right if I ant to see gay sex i have sites for that. this is really any kind of sex gay or str8. If I want to waatch a movie I expect more than sex thrown in for no good reaason.
Dawson
I am so sorry I make you uncomfortable Mr. Crystal. Oh wait, maybe we should not have so may Jewish characters on T.V. because it makes Muslim uncomfortable too. Maybe I should hide in the closet until you, Mr. Crystal have taken your medication so I can be who I am. Nothing like judging and intolerance right Mr. Crystal. Maybe you should put that same energy to into all the crime and injustice in the world but no I am sure you watch movies, T.V. and read the paper and go on with your life. Yes, we are scary people because we love and choice to live out in the open. No Mr. Crystal we are not going to go back into hiding just to make you more comfortable you self righteous prick. Anyone who wants me or my community to change or not be visible just so you feel better about themselves, especially people who themselves have a history of discrimination, can go f**k themselves. You played a gay character on T.V. and benefited from it yet you have problems with us yet you profited from it from all the publicity? Nothing says Kettle and black like that right Mr. Crystal. Just because you played a gay character doesn’t make your opinion worthy to our community. Rather we have seen your true colors. Like Mel Gibson when he was drunk you have join a club of two faced bigots who no longer will get one cent from me in any of your future movies.
Chris Vogel
Some straight men never grow up. It would damage their fragile egos.
jason smeds
Why are people assuming that Billy Crystal is straight? He may be straight-identifying but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s always straight-feeling. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is one of those guys who occasionally has sexual feelings for men and is offended by having same-sex interactions depicted in the visual medium. To these types of men, it’s confronting because it exposes a part of them that they wish to keep hidden.
As for the word “lifestyle”, yes, there is a gay lifestyle. It’s promoted by the gay community. It consists – amongst other things – of going to gay bars and clubs all the time. That is what is meant by gay lifestyle. It’s a legitimate use of the word in that context.
However, it is NOT legitimate to use the word in the context of a physical interaction such as a kiss or going to bed with someone. Sex acts are not lifestyles. They only become lifestyles if you design your life around them.
jamesinNYC
I honestly don’t know what shows he is watching. If there are any, please let me know I would like to see them. He may be referring to Looking and Orange is the New Black. But, Looking is very tame. Orange is the New Black, however, borders on soft core porn but I think that it is primarily done that way to draw in straight male viewers who get off on fantasies of sex between two women. Depictions of gay male relationships and sex on television (even HBO) are few and far between, and usually very tame compared to heterosexual relations.
Kieran
It sounds like Billy is morphing into the crochety, cranky old Jewish man he used to play on SNL.
Cam
@tusgold: said…. “he is right if I ant to see gay sex i have sites for that. this is really any kind of sex gay or str8. If I want to waatch a movie I expect more than sex thrown in for no good reaason.”
____________________-
What a B.S. troll comment. Please point out where these supposed gay sex scenes are showing up on normal TV. After mounds of pressure, Modern Family finally had their couple share a chaste kiss then never touch each other again. Is this the “In your face gay sex on TV that Crystal was talking about?”
tricky ricky
good grief! he’s still bitching about those two gay guys reading the morning paper in bed on thirtysomething!
scotshot
I wonder what his reaction would be if Jew were substituted for each time he said gay?
DuMaurier
@scotshot: scotshot: you mean Jewish sex? Anyway, his point about gay sex scenes being for “a cause” is strange, because I don’t think that’s true any more. It used to be, when they’d trumpet “Tonight–first gay kiss ever on TV!” “First gay couple in bed!” (mostly talking, of course), and that’s when it was painfully self-conscious and boring. You could feel the painstaking anxiety, there was no ease or naturalness. At least that’s changed somewhat by now.
lykeitiz
I’ve always liked Billy Crystal’s movies & Oscar hosting gigs. I always admired his portrayal of Jody on “Soap”.
What really bothers me about him though is his Jewish-ness. I really don’t mind seeing him on TV, but when he tries pushing that Jew stuff, sometimes it’s just too much.
odawg
I hate when middle-aged Jewish comics push their ignorance in my face. It’s just personal taste.
martinbakman
@lykeitiz: To me he represents the problem with Hollywood. Too man old white guys of little depth. And yes lykeitiz, putting that Jewish stuff in our face….well I need to turn the channel.
enfilmigult
“Crystal’s statements were perceived as rampant homophobia — even though none of his comments were actually fear-based…” …which they don’t have to be for “homophobia” to be the right word. (Or “phobia” in general for that matter.) How is it I know this and a writer for Queerty doesn’t? Yikes.
As for what he said, yeah, “homophobic” seems to be the word. Talking about sex scenes on TV in general is one thing; singling out gay sex scenes is another, unless somehow gay sex scenes are showing up more frequently and are more explicit when they do, which I sincerely doubt.
As for it being a “scary time” because he actually has to hear about it when he insults people, here’s the world’s smallest violin.
GayEGO
Frankly I am surprised that Billy Crystal is even bringing up this garbage after he played a gay guy back in the ’70s. I don’t like seeing straight sex anywhere let alone TV but I won’t force my views on others because it is my personal view.
NoCagada
@tusgold: Spoken like my 90 year old father!
NoCagada
@martinbakman: You ought to be fearing christians more than anybody
EdOhMy79
Billy Crystal is saving Israel, didn’t you know that? Don’t bother him with this shit.
MrEguy
I’m offended that Billy Crystal’s head looks like a honeydew melon stung by a hive of angry bees with hair on it.
Joe Dalmas
@Ladbrook: What you said. Exactly.